System and method for automatic access of a remote computer over a network

ABSTRACT

A system and method for using identification codes found on ordinary articles of commerce to access remote computers on a network. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a computer is provided having a database that relates Uniform Product Code (“UPC”) numbers to Internet network addresses (or “URLs”). To access an Internet resource relating to a particular product, a user enters the product&#39;s UPC symbol manually, by swiping a bar code reader over the UPC symbol, or via other suitable input means. The database retrieves the URL corresponding to the UPC code. This location information is then used to access the desired resource.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a continuation-in-part of Application Ser. No.60\000,442, filed on Jun. 20, 1995, and entitled “Method and Apparatusfor Interfacing with Remote Computers” (hereinafter, “our copendingapplication”), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to computer communications generally, and morespecifically to techniques for giving users convenient access toinformation located on computer networks such as the Internet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A computer network is a set of computers (or “hosts”) which are able tocommunicate electronically. In logical terms, the network can be viewedas a set of nodes or “sites”, with each computer on the network beinghome for one or more nodes. Generally speaking, each host is assigned anumeric address, which the network uses to route information to thatparticular host. To facilitate human use of networks, addresses areoften given alphanumeric codes (or “mnemonics”), which are easier forpeople to remember. For example, the numeric address 200.98.322.56 maybe assigned the mnemonic “sample.com.”

At the present time, the world's most important network is the Internet.The Internet is a massive worldwide collection of computer resources,connected together in network fashion by a series of communicationprotocols known as TCP/IP. Many sites on the Internet can be accessed inaccordance with popular standard protocols or formats such as Gopher andHypertext Transport Protocol (“HTTP”). These sites act as remoteservers, providing information to users' computers (or “clients”) inaccordance with a particular format or protocol. The client system(often an individual's personal computer) must have the necessarysoftware to handle the server's particular protocol.

For example, sites set up in accordance with HTTP are nicked-named “Websites”. If a user wants to access Web sites, she must have a computerconnected to the Internet and equipped with software for communicatingin accordance with the HTTP protocol. Such software is often called a“browser,” because it allows users to browse (or, in the parlance of theenthusiasts, “surf”) from Web site to Web site, much the way one mightbrowse through a library. This process is facilitated by the fact thatmost Web sites have hypertext links to other Web sites, which the usercan activate by clicking a mouse on a highlighted portion of the screen.

Typical browser software also maintains a list of sites the user hasvisited, which the user can recall using commands such as “back” and“forward.” These commands, coupled with the hypertext links between Websites, give users the sensation of “navigating” through a seeminglyinfinite realm of information, which is popularly referred to as“cyberspace” or the “World Wide Web.”

Users can also specify a Web site by manually typing in the site'slocation as a Uniform Resource Locator (“URL”). The URL specifies theprecise location of a particular resource, and has three fields:

-   -   <resource type> <domain name> <path>        Domain name, as explained above, is the alphanumeric network        address of the host on which a particular resource resides. The        “path” is the specific directory and file on the host where a        resource is stored. A typical URL is        http://bongo.cc.utexas.edu/⁻neural/cwsapps.html.

For example, the command “Go<URL>” would cause browser software torequest the information residing at the site specified by the URL. Thisis called “pointing” the browser to the desired Web site. The Web serverat the designated URL processes the browser's request by transferring acopy of the file specified by the URL to the user's local host computer.The transferred file includes embedded commands in the hypertext markuplanguage (“HTML”), which cause the client's browser software to displayand handle the transferred file in a desired manner.

Cyberspace is not limited to the World Wide Web or the Internet. Massiveamounts of information are also available on networks maintained byon-line service providers under the service marks CompuServe, Prodigyand America Online, for example. Users typically access these on-lineservices via telephone modem connection. To the end user, these networksappear to be a series of sites or locations or “rooms” offering varioustypes of information. The addresses for these locations are assigned bythe on-line service providers. Navigation among these locations ishandled by proprietary client software, which runs on the user'spersonal computer.

Many users learn of resources on the Internet or a proprietary on-lineservice through magazine articles and advertisements. These articles andadvertisements include the necessary URL or other network address toaccess the desired site. Many publications compile lists of sites theydeem particularly worthwhile. When a user sees a listing for a sitewhich looks interesting, he can manually enter the published URL orother mnemonic address into his browser or other software, and accessthe site.

As explained in our copending application, we realized that publishedcomputer addresses—whether URLs or otherwise—were difficult for peopleto use because they have to be tediously entered into their computers. Agood example of an address which may be difficult to enter is theUniversity of Texas address cited above. The problem is particularlyacute for persons with a visual or physical disability.

Another problem using the Internet, we realized, is that many users havetrouble even finding URLs or other network addresses for desired sitessuch as Web pages. Accordingly, Web site sponsors publish their Web siteURLs in print advertising and on packaging. The difficulty with thisapproach however is that the URLs are still long, and cumbersome toremember and enter into a computer.

In our copending application, we proposed to resolve these problems byallowing people to access published locations without having to manuallyenter the published address. In accordance with one embodiment of theinvention, the mnemonic address or verbal description of a networklocation is published along with the location's numeric address in barcode format. The user's computer is equipped with a bar code reader andbrowser software. The bar code reader is suitably interfaced to thecomputer's browser software to allow bar code input to be accepted asaddress information. When the user sees an interesting publishedaddress, he scans the associated bar code using the bar code reader,thereby loading the desired numeric address into the browser. Thebrowser then accesses the Web or other site corresponding to thatnumeric address.

We are finding several problems with this and other approaches that havebeen tried. First, some URLs and other network addresses contain upwardsof 20-30 characters, and therefore require very long bar code symbols,which can clutter advertising and packages, and may not be practicalfrom either an esthetic or technical perspective. Second, placing URLson printed material (whether or not in bar code format) requiresmanufacturers to redesign products, packaging and/or advertisements, andmany manufacturers may be reluctant to do this. Third, perviousproposal, if the network address is changed, the package needs to beredesigned, and packages already in the marketplace will have incorrectaddress information.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention offers a better way for consumers and others toaccess resources on remote computers, particularly Web sites. Inaccordance with the invention, the dissemination and entry of networkaddresses is accomplished by means of existing identification standards(e.g., bar codes) found on ordinary products like soup or soda, inconjunction with a centralized database of network locations.

One embodiment of the invention is a system in which a bar code or otherindicia is associated with a product or other article of commerce. Theindicia encodes (in human and/or machine readable form) a UPC or otheridentification number, which is associated with the article inaccordance with an extrinsic standard. A computer database is providedthat relates standard UPC codes to Internet URLs or other networkaddresses. To access a network resource relating to a particularproduct, the user swipes a bar code reader across the product's UPCsymbol. The database then retrieves the URL corresponding to the UPCproduct data. This location information is then used to access thedesired resource on the network.

The invention offers a number of important advantages. First, becauseproduct identification information is already widely disseminated usingstandardized and pre-assigned codes, the invention eliminates the needfor separately disseminating domain names or other network locationdata. Further, the invention can be implemented without requiringmanufactures to redesign packaging or other articles, or to developspecial bar code indicia. This overcomes a Catch-22 often facing newtechnologies: manufacturers will not participate until there iswidespread consumer interest; consumers are not interested until thereis widespread manufacturer participation. With the invention, massparticipation by manufacturers in the technology is automatic.

Second, the invention allows practical use of bar codes and othermachine readable media for entry of network location data. As werealized, encoding URL data in bar code format is not practical becausethe resulting bar codes are too long. By using existing UPC productcodes in combination with the database of network locations, users havethe benefit of bar code or comparable technology for entering networklocation data. Thus, the necessity of manually entering the address iseliminated. Users can access a desired site by simply using a bar codereader. The UPC can also be printed on removable stickers or detachablecards, allowing users to readily clip the stickers and cards for futurereference. This is particularly useful when the user reads about thelocation at a time when he does not have access to a computer.

Third, the invention overcomes the problems encountered when networkaddresses are changed. Network addresses can change as companiesreorganize their on-line marketing strategies. Also, Internet addressesare assigned by an independent third party—InterNic—which may in somecases have the authority to unilaterally change a company's address.Finally, unforeseen trademark conflicts (involving for example Internetdomain names) may require adoption of new addresses. With the invention,a new address assignment requires only that the database of addresses beupdated. Products, packaging, advertisements and the like bearing thestandard identification codes need not be redesigned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computerized system for interfacing witha computer network in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the local host computer shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the article of commerce shown in FIG. 1,illustrating in detail the UPC symbol thereupon.

FIG. 4 is a tabular view of the database shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the system of FIG.1 in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 is an idealized view of the CRT screen of the client system ofFIG. 1 displaying information in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of articles of commerce which can be usedin accordance with the invention to access remote computers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

1. Overview

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating one application of the invention,namely the use of an ordinary article of commerce to access sites on theInternet's World Wide Web. As explained below, this embodiment of theinvention allows a person who desires Internet resources concerning aparticular product to access those resources using the product's UPCsymbol. The data encoded on the UPC symbol can be entered manually or(for greater convenience) using a bar code reader.

Referring to FIG. 1, the Internet 20, illustrated here in generalizedformat, includes a service provider 22 and two remote nodes 24 and 26.In this case, service provider 22 is a local Internet access provider.Service provider could also be an online service provider, such asAmerica OnLine®, Compuserve®, Microsoft® Network and Prodigy®, In suchcases, local host 28 need not be on Internet 20—that is, need not have anetwork address.

An end-user (not shown) accesses Internet 20 using local host 28, whichin this case is an IBM compatible personal computer including a CPU 30,a random access memory 32 and an address/data bus 34 by operativelyconnecting CPU 30 and memory 32. Unless otherwise specified, the term“memory” herein includes any storage device, including RAM, ROM, tape ordisk drives (or collections or networks of tapes or disk drives), andany other device for storing information. A modem 36 and I/O port 38 areattached to bus 34 by a suitable interfaces 40 and 42, respectively. Aninput device 44 is connected to bus 34 via I/O port 38. Input device 44is a commercially available wand-style bar code reader reads a UniformProduct Code (“UPC”) bar code symbol 46 affixed to an article ofcommerce 48. Alternatively, input device 44 could be a card reader,optical character or voice recognition system, touch screen, scanner,pen, keyboard or other known input device.

Local host computer 28 need not be a personal computer, and could forexample be a mainframe or minicomputer having a terminal by-which theuser could enter and receive data. In that arrangement, input device 44would be attached to the terminal.

Modem 36 is adopted for electronic communication via a suitabletelephone link 50 with service provider 22. Computer 28 functions as anInternet host because it is connected to service provider 22 using Pointto Point Protocol (“PPP”) via telephone link 50. Othertelecommunications channels may be used, such as ISDN or a connectionwhich incorp rates a third party intermediary network such asTymNet^(SM). Alternatively, local host 28 could be connected directly toInternet 20, as is likely to be the case where local host 28 is a largercomputer, such as mainframe. FIG. 2 offers a perspective view of localhost 28 and article of commerce 48 and also illustrates a CRT monitor 52and keyboard 54 suitably coupled to bus 34.

In this illustration, local host 28 is used to access Internet resources(or “Web sites”) on remote nodes 24 and 26, which are available usingthe HTTP protocol. HTTP uses a client-server architecture, with remotenodes 24 and 26 acting as servers, and local host 28 acting as a client.Local host is equipped with Netscape Navigator brand Web browsersoftware which enables it to function as an HTTP client.

Remote notes 24 and 26 have pre-assigned network locations (or “domainnames”), and desired resources (such as a particular Web site) arelocated in specific directories and files (or “paths”) resident on aremote nodes 26 and 28. The precise locations of those resources arespecified using URL, which, as explained above, includes three fields:<resource type> <domain name> <path>. To access resources of aparticular remote node 24 or 26, local host 28 requests those resourcesfrom Internet 20 using the appropriate URL. Thus, the URL functions as amore precise kind of network address than a domain name.

The URL required is often supplied by the user. Users learn about theexistence of a desired resource (and its corresponding ULR) through avariety of means, including publication in a printed advertisement. Incurrent practice, the URL acquired from a printed source must be enteredusing a keyboard. As explained above, this can be tedious. Moreover, inmany cases, users may have trouble finding references to desired Webpages.

2. Article of Commerce

In accordance with the invention, access to desired resources on remotenodes 24 and 26 is achieved using an article of commerce 48. The term“article of commerce” includes tangible things that are sold or movedthrough commerce, such as consumer products, packaging, and printedmedia including books, newspapers, magazines, stickers, fliers, cards,tags and labels. Article 48 bears a standard UPC bar code symbol orindicia 46. Symbol 46 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3, and may beaffixed to article 48 in any suitable manner, including printingdirectly on the article or its packaging, or applied to labels or tagsattached or otherwise affixed to the article. In accordance with UPCstandards, symbol 46 encodes a ten-digit number (the “productidentification number”). As shown in FIG. 3, the product identificationnumber encoded in UPC symbol 46 consists of two five-digit fields, A andB. Field A is a unique, pre-assigned number signifying a particularmanufacturer. Field B is a number identifying one of the manufacturer'sproducts. In the United States, UPC product identification numbers areassigned by the Uniform Code Council, Inc.

UPC symbol 46 provides a machine-readable number that uniquelyidentifies a particular product and its manufacturer. This is useful atthe retail point-of-sale, where purchase of a particular item isrecorded by scanning the item's bar code symbol.

There are numerous other formats and systems for assigning productidentification numbers to articles of commerce. For example, theInternational Article Numbering Association (“EAN”) assigns its ownnumber to products outside of the U.S. and Canada, and uses a differentsymbology than used with the UPC. Product identification codes for booksare provided by the International Standard Book Numbering System(“ISBN”) and are encoded using a symbology specified by thatorganization. Likewise, magazines and serial publications are assignedproduct identification codes by the International Standard SerialNumbering System (“ISSN”).

These numbering systems share at least three characteristics. First, forpurposes of this invention, the identification numbers may be assignedin accordance with an “extrinsic” standard. By extrinsic, it is meantthat the assignment of numbers is made a by group or association for thepurpose of identifying articles of commerce. It is likely that new typesof identification numbers will arise in the future, as will neworganizations for assigning and administering those numbers, and thepresent invention contemplates use of both existing and future extrinsicidentification numbers and formats.

Second, the identification numbers may have recognized significance asnumbers identifying articles of commerce. The level of recognition maybe among the general public, or a defined subset, such as a particularindustry or occupation.

Third, the identification numbers may be encoded in a standard, machinereadable format—namely, bar codes. Other machine readable formats mayalso be used for this purpose, including magnetic stripes or opticalcharacter recognition (“OCR”), and the present invention could bepracticed with product identification numbers encoded in those formatsas well.

3. URL/UPC Database

In accordance with the invention, service provider 22 includes arelational database 60, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 4.Database 60 includes records 62-68, which are accessible using asuitable database management system software. Each record 62-68 ofdatabase 60 contains four fields 70-76. Fields 70 and 72 contain a UPCproduct identification number, as explained below. Field 74 holds a URLsuitable for locating a resource on the Internet. Depending on theapplication, other network addresses—either numeric or mnemonic,physical or virtual—may be used. Field 76 holds a narrative descriptionof the resource addressed in field 74. This particular arrangement offields is but one illustration of how the invention may be practiced.For example, additional fields could be provided, or the UPC productidentification number could be held in a single field.

Each record 62-68 of database 60 associates a UPC product identificationnumber (contained in fields 70 and 72) with a particular Internet URLand narrative description (contained in fields 74 and 76, respectively).The association is based on selected criteria. In this case, thecriteria is the existence of a Web resource sponsored by themanufacturer of the product identified by the UPC number in fields 70and 72. (If no such resource exists, then the particular productidentifier can be omitted from database 60). Other criteria can be used.For example, the association could be based on the existence of a Website simply referring to or relating to the product.

As stated, fields 70 and 72 contain a UPC product identification number.Field 70 contains the first five digits of the product identificationnumber (field A of FIG. 3). As explained above, these digits uniquelyidentify the product's manufacturer. Field 72 contains the second fivedigits of the product identification number (field B of FIG. 3). Thesedigits identify the manufacturer's particular product. In some cases, amanufacturer may have many products and only one Web site or otherInternet resource. In that case, field 72 may be left blank, as shown incell 78 of record 68. When field 72 is left blank, database 60associates the Web resource indicated in field 74 with any productidentification number whose first five digits match the manufacturernumber specified in field 70.

Database 60 itself is accessible via service provider 22, which isequipped with Web server software such as provided by Netscapecommunications, Inc. The server software provides access to an HTMLdocument (the “Query Page”) resident on service provider 22 at apredetermined URL. The Query Page, when displayed on CRT 52 by localhost 28 using a forms-capable browser allows the user to enter a queryin the form of a UPC product identification number. Alternatively,database 60 could be resident on local host 28 or another remotecomputer 24 or 26. The Web server at service provider 22 may have apredetermined URL location. Browser software resident in local hostcomputer 28 may be configured to automatically request thatpredetermined URL location when the browser software is initiallyloaded.

Database 60 may be incorporated with a database or search engine of Websites or other Internet resources (such as the Yahoo or Lycosdatabases). In that case, the Query Page may give the user the option ofentering a UPC number or an alternative search term, such as a portionof the URL or the topic to which the desired resource pertains.

Also, database 60 may be divided into one or more tables, which may bedistributed over more than one computer. For example, a first table maycontain records associating UPC numbers with names of products ormanufacturers. A second table associates products and/or manufacturernames with Internet addresses. Thus, the process of using the UPC numberto locate a network address may involve one or more steps. For example,database 60 might determine the name of a product corresponding to a UPCnumber using a first table, and then determine network addressescorresponding to that product name using a second table. Even thoughmultiple steps are involved, the UPC number is still “associated” incomputer memory with the network address for purposes of the invention.

4. Operation of the Invention

Suppose a user is interested in Internet resources concerning aparticular type of product. In accordance with the invention, the usercan access those resources by taking an ordinary specimen of theproduct—a can of soup for example—and entering all or part of theproduct's UPC product identification number 46. Database 60 uses theentered product identification number to look-up the associated URL,which is returned to the user in the form of a HTML document.

This operation is illustrated in FIG. 5. At a block 80, the user loadshis browser software onto local host computer 28. The browser softwareis programmed to automatically load the “Query Page” which providesaccess to database 60. The user in this case is a human, butalternatively a program (or “process”) running on local host 28 could bethe “user” in the sense that it is the process which is requestinginformation from the Internet and supplying the UPC number.

At a block 82, the Query Page is transmitted to local host computer 28in the form of an HTML document. Browser software resident on local host28 displays the Query Page on CRT screen 52. At block 84, the user (orprocess) enters the first five or all ten digits of the UPC productidentification number encoded by symbol 46. Because the UPC productidentification number is printed in both machine- and human-readableformat (See FIG. 3), this may be done by manual entry using keyboard,voice recognition system or other input device. More preferably,however, entry is accomplished by scanning UPC symbol 46 affixed toarticle 48. Input device 44 reads UPC symbol 46, and generates an ASCIIcharacter string which is read by CPU 30 via I/O port 38. If the UPCnumber is scanned, then all 10 digits will generally be entered. The UPCproduct identification number is transmitted to the Web server residenton local service provider 22, which at a block 86 looks up the enteredUPC number in database 60.

At block 88, database 60 retrieves all records 62-68 having UPC fields70 and 72 that match the product identification number entered by theuser. The records are conveyed to the user in the form of an HTMLdocument. The criteria at block 88 for whether UPC fields 70 and 72“match” the product identification number may be based on a “query byexample” approach. For example, suppose at block 84 the user only entersthe manufacturer portion (e.g. “31251”) of a product identificationnumber. It is assumed in this case that the user is interested in anyrecord 62-68 having a field 70 that matches the entered manufacturerportion. (Recall that the database 60 stores the UPC number in twofields—field 70 for the first five digits (corresponding tomanufacturer) and field 72 for the second five digits (corresponding tomanufacturer's product)). Thus, at block 88, records 61, 64 and 65 arereturned to the user, because field 70 in each of those records contains“31251.”

If the user entered all ten digits of a UPC product identificationnumber (e.g., “31251-00302”), then only records whose fields 70 and 72matched “31251” and “00302,” respectively, would be retrieved. (In thiscase, that would be record 64). If all ten UPC digits are entered, andno exact match is found, database 60 may be programmed to retrieverecords (if any) where at least the manufacturer portion (that is, firstfive digits) matches field 70.

At block 90, browser software on local host computer 28 displays recordsretrieved at block 88 on CRT 52. The records are returned in an HTMLdocument, which is displayed by the browser in a screen format 94, asillustrated in FIG. 6. In this example, records 62, 64 and 66 have beenretrieved. Screen format 94 displays data from each record in a separaterows 96, 98 and 100, respectively. If no matching records are found atblock 88, a message such as “no records found” may be returned instead.

Text from description field 76 of each of records 62, 64 and 66 isdisplayed as hypertext links 102, 104 and 106, respectively. Link 102 isassociated with the URL of record 62, link 104 with the URL of record64, and link 106 with the URL of record 66. When the user selects one oflinks 102-106 (by mouse click or otherwise), the browser software loadsthe URL associated with the selected link to access the resource at thelocation specified by that URL.

5. Alternative Embodiments

The foregoing embodiment is just one example of the present invention.Many alternatives are possible.

Other Networks and Protocols. While the present invention is illustratedwith respect to a system for accessing the Internet's World Wide Web, itcould be practiced using other Internet protocols (such as Gopher) orother types of wide area networks and systems, including those offeredby “on-line service” providers such as America OnLine® of Fairfax, Va.or CompuServe® of Columbus, Ohio or the Microsoft® Network of Redmond,Wash.

In those cases, database 60 could be resident on the on-line serviceprovider's computer. The network address information contained indatabase 60 could be either Internet URLs, or locations within theon-line service provider's environment. In this case, the protocol usedto communicate between local host 28 and service provider 22 need not beHTTP or other Internet protocol. However, service provider 22 canprovide a gateway to Internet 20, and access to a desired networklocation on the Internet can be made using a URL retrieved from database60.

Controlled Access. Database 60 need not be publicly accessible. Accessto database 60 can be limited either by placing database 60 on aproprietary network, or, if placed on an open network, using a passwordor digital signature system to permit access only to authorized persons.Also, records 62-68 may be selectively accessible. For example, eachrecord can contain an additional field indicating whether the URLcontained in field 74 points to network location containing materialinappropriate for children. In that case, database 60 can be programmedto return URL at block 88 only if the user has supplied a properpassword.

Automatic Jumping to Desired Location. In the disclosed embodiment, theURL associated with a selected UPC product identification code isreturned to the end user in an HTML document at block 88 of FIG. 5. Theuser can then hypertext link to the site corresponding to the URL.Alternatively, instead of displaying query results at step 90 (of FIG.5), browser software in local host can automatically load the retrievedURL and point the user to the site corresponding to that URL. Anadditional field in database 60 can provide a code indicating whetherthis feature should be enabled or disabled for a particular URL.

Identification Numbers and Symbologies. The invention can be practicedusing standard identification numbers and symbologies other than UPCnumbers and formats. For example, EAN, ISBN and ISSN numbers and formatsdiscussed above could be used.

Articles of Commerce. As shown in FIG. 7, product identificationnumbers—whether bar coded or otherwise—may be placed all types of items,such as a consumer product 102, newspaper 104 or book 106, as well ascoupons, fliers, cards and advertisements (not illustrated). Forexample, by placing a product's UPC code on an advertisement for theproduct, the advertiser could, in accordance with the invention,facilitate access to Internet resources concerning the product.

Machine Reading Technology. In lieu of a bar coding, the invention couldbe practiced with product identification information that is encodedusing other technologies. For example, product identificationinformation could be encoded on a magnetic strip affixed to a product,card or other article. In place of wand, local host computer could use amagnetic card reader. Alternatively, the number could simply be printedin human-readable format, and an optional optical character recognitionsystem could be used to facilitate entry.

Direct Coding of Address. In place of a standard UPC symbol, bar codetechnology could be used to encode the actual mnemonic or numeric (IP)network address in machine-readable format. While this arrangement doesnot achieve all the advantages of the invention, it allows the user toeasily enter desired address information using a bar-code reader insteadof manually typing the address.

1-32. (canceled)
 33. A method of connecting a plurality of computersover a computer network for data transfer amongst the computers,comprising the steps of: a) using a computer input device associatedwith a requesting computer of the plurality of computers toautomatically machine-read a data carrier modulated with an index; b)the requesting computer communicating with routing computers in theplurality of computers, said routing computers each having a tablestored in memory, each table comprising a plurality of records, each ofsaid records comprising at least part of an association of an index to apointer which identifies an information computer on the network, bytransmitting said machine-read index to at least one of said routingcomputers and receiving pointer information from said routing computersthat correlates the machine-read index to a pointer which identifies aninformation computer on the network; c) the requesting computer usingthe pointer information received from said routing computers toestablish communication with the information computer identified therebyand request information from said information computer; and d) theinformation computer transmitting information to the requesting computerbased on the information request.
 34. The method of claim 33 whereinsaid routing computers comprise: a first routing computer having a firsttable stored in a first memory, and a second routing computer having asecond table stored in a second memory, said first table comprising aset of first records, each of said first records associating an indexwith a label, said second table comprising a set of second records, eachof said second records associating a label with a pointer, and whereinan index is correlated with a label which is then correlated with apointer by accessing both of said first table and said second table. 35.The method of claim 34 wherein said data carrier is a bar code symbol,said index is a Uniform Product Code (UPC) encoded in said bar codesymbol, said label is a product name corresponding to said UPC, and saidpointer is a URL indicating the location of a resource on the networkhaving information related to the product, whereby the UPC is used todetermine the associated product name in the first table and the productname obtained from the first table is used to determine the associatedURL in the second table.
 36. The method of claim 34 wherein said datacarrier is a bar code symbol, said index is a Uniform Product Code (UPC)encoded in said bar code symbol, said label is a manufacturercorresponding to said UPC, and said pointer is a URL indicating thelocation of a resource on the network having information related to themanufacturer, whereby the UPC is used to determine the associatedmanufacturer in the first table and the manufacturer obtained from thefirst table is used to determine the associated URL in the second table.37. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of using a computer inputdevice associated with a requesting computer of the plurality ofcomputers to automatically machine-read a data carrier modulated with anindex comprises the step of reading a light pattern emanating from anobject and demodulating the light pattern to obtain the index.
 38. Themethod of claim 37 wherein the step of reading a light pattern emanatingfrom an object and demodulating the light pattern to obtain the indexcomprises scanning a bar code symbol encoded with the index.
 39. Themethod of claim 37 wherein the step of reading a light pattern emanatingfrom an object and demodulating the light pattern to obtain the indexcomprises using optical character recognition techniques.
 40. The methodof claim 33 wherein the step of using a computer input device associatedwith a requesting computer of the plurality of computers toautomatically machine-read a data carrier modulated with an indexcomprises receiving a signal emanating from an article of commerce, thesignal being modulated with the index.
 41. The method of claim 33wherein the step of using a computer input device associated with arequesting computer of the plurality of computers to automaticallymachine-read a data carrier modulated with an index comprises inputtinginto the computer input device an audible signal modulated withinformation correlated to the index.
 42. The method of claim 41 whereinthe step of inputting into the user computing device an audible signalmodulated with information correlated to the index comprises the use ofvoice recognition techniques.
 43. The method of claim 33 wherein thestep of using a computer input device associated with a requestingcomputer of the plurality of computers to automatically machine-read adata carrier modulated with an index comprises inputting into the usercomputing device an RF signal modulated with information correlated tothe index.
 44. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of using acomputer input device associated with a requesting computer of theplurality of computers to automatically machine-read a data carriermodulated with an index comprises accessing a magnetic card with amagnetic card reader.
 45. The method of claim 33 wherein the pointercomprises a network address.
 46. The method of claim 33 wherein thepointer comprises a Uniform Resource Locator.
 47. The method of claim 33wherein the pointer comprises the name of a remote computer.
 48. Themethod of claim 33 wherein the pointer comprises an IP address.
 49. Themethod of claim 33 wherein the step of using the pointer informationreceived from said routing computers to establish communication with theinformation computer identified thereby is executed automatically by therequesting computer without user intervention.
 50. The method of claim49 wherein the automatic communication by the requesting computer withthe information computer is executed by a web browser program running onthe requesting computer.
 51. The method of claim 33 wherein the step ofusing the pointer information received from said routing computers toestablish communication with the information computer identified therebyis executed by a user selecting hypertext link returned to therequesting computer.
 52. The method of claim 33 wherein the network is awide area network.
 53. The method of claim 52 wherein the wide areanetwork is the Internet.
 54. The method of claim 52 wherein the widearea network is a proprietary online service.
 55. A networked computersystem comprising a plurality of computers selectively interconnected toa computer network, said plurality of computers comprising: a. arequesting computer comprising a computer input device adapted toautomatically machine-read a data carrier modulated with an index; b. aplurality of routing computers, each of said routing computerscomprising means for storing a table comprising a plurality of records,each of said records comprising at least part of an association of anindex to a pointer which identifies an information computer on thenetwork; and c. an information computer comprising means fortransmitting information to the requesting computer based on aninformation request by the requesting computer; wherein the requestingcomputer transmits the machine-read index to at least one of the routingcomputers and receives pointer information from the routing computersthat correlates the machine-read index to a pointer which identifies theinformation computer on the network, and uses the pointer to requestinformation from an information computer identified thereby.
 56. Thesystem of claim 55 wherein the routing computers comprise: a firstrouting computer having a first table stored in a first memory, and asecond routing computer having a second table stored in a second memory,said first table comprising a set of first records, each of said firstrecords associating an index with a label, said second table comprisinga set of second records, each of said second records associating a labelwith a pointer, and wherein an index is correlated with a label which isthen correlated with a pointer by accessing both of said first table andsaid second table.
 57. The system of claim 55 wherein said data carrieris a bar code symbol, said index is a Uniform Product Code (UPC) encodedin said bar code symbol, said label is a product name corresponding tosaid UPC, and said pointer is a URL indicating the location of aresource on the network having information related to the product,whereby the UPC is used to determine the associated product name in thefirst table and the product name obtained from the first table is usedto determine the associated URL in the second table.
 58. The system ofclaim 55 wherein said data carrier is a bar code symbol, said index is aUniform Product Code (UPC) encoded in said bar code symbol, said labelis a manufacturer corresponding to said UPC, and said pointer is a URLindicating the location of a resource on the network having informationrelated to the manufacturer, whereby the UPC is used to determine theassociated manufacturer in the first table and the manufacturer obtainedfrom the first table is used to determine the associated URL in thesecond table.
 59. The system of claim 55 wherein the computer inputdevice comprises means for reading a light pattern emanating from anobject and demodulating the light pattern to obtain the index.
 60. Thesystem of claim 59 wherein the means for reading a light patternemanating from an object and demodulating the light pattern to obtainthe index comprises means for scanning a bar code symbol encoded withthe index.
 61. The system of claim 59 wherein the means for reading alight pattern emanating from an object and demodulating the lightpattern to obtain the index comprises means for using optical characterrecognition techniques.
 62. The system of claim 55 wherein the inputdevice is adapted to receive a signal emanating from an article ofcommerce, the signal being modulated with the index.
 63. The system ofclaim 55 wherein the input device comprises means for inputting into theuser computing device an audible signal modulated with informationcorrelated to the index.
 64. The system of claim 63 wherein the meansfor inputting into the user computing device an audible signal modulatedwith information correlated to the index is configured to utilize voicerecognition techniques.
 65. The system of claim 55 wherein the inputdevice comprises means for inputting an RF signal modulated withinformation correlated to the index.
 66. The system of claim 55 whereinthe input device comprises means for reading a magnetic stripe card. 67.The system of claim 55 wherein the pointer comprises a network address.68. The system of claim 55 wherein the pointer comprises a UniformResource Locator.
 69. The system of claim 55 wherein the pointercomprises the name of a remote computer.
 70. The system of claim 55wherein the pointer comprises an IP address.
 71. The system of claim 55wherein the requesting computer requests information from theinformation computer automatically without user intervention afterreceiving the pointer information from the routing computers.
 72. Thesystem of claim 71 wherein the automatic communication by the requestingcomputer with the information computer is executed by a web browserprogram running on the requesting computer.
 73. The system of claim 55wherein the requesting computer requests information from theinformation computer by a user manually selecting a hypertext linkreturned to the requesting computer by the routing computers.
 74. Thesystem of claim 55 wherein the network is a wide area network.
 75. Thesystem of claim 74 wherein the wide area network is the Internet. 76.The system of claim 74 wherein the wide area network is a proprietaryonline service.